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Chuut-Riit
Chuut-Riit was a Kzin Hero, admiral, warlord, strategist and statesman, as well as a son of the Kzin Patriarch. He is bet known for his time as Commander of the Third Fleet that was assembled to invade the Sol system. As Commander of the fleet, he was de facto ruler of all Kzinti in the Alpha Centauri system, including Wunderland, Tiamat and the Serpent Swarm. Chuut-riit used his influence to revise Kzin tactics and institute many changes in the ways that humans and Kzinti interacted on the occupied worlds. Due to his close study of human beings and their behavior, many Kzinti came to perceive him as being tainted, and questioned the wisdom of his policies. To most Kzinti however, Chuut-Riit was recognized as a brilliant strategist and brave Hero, who would inevitably lead them to success over their monkey foes. He was also considered by humans to be a grave threat and as such the UNSN resorted to extreme measure in an attempt to eliminate him before he had a chance to launch the Third Fleet. His premature demise at the hands of his own children led to a period of unrest in the Alpha Centauri system and bought mankind valuable time that may very well have determined the outcome of the First Man-Kzin War. Biography As a member of House Riit, Chuut-Riit was known to be directly related to the Patriarch, which automatically gave him the right to a name and a fair degree of prestige.The Survivor - Donald Kingsbury (Man-Kzin Wars IV) As a young servitor of the House Riit, Chuut-Riit aligned himself with a newly appointed patriarch, who was little more than a youth. Chuut-Riit did not expect this Patriarch to live long in the cutthroat world of Kzin politics, and saw his service as little more than a stepping stone one his way up the ranks. Chuut-Riit server as his "trouble-slasher" for a time on Hssin, dismayed as the Patriarch survived the years. Later Chuut-Riit took to the stars, servin the Patriarch on various planets throughout the Patriarchy, because hibernation during space travel slowed his metaoblism, he did not age physically as fast as most other Kzin, while still gaining a huge amount of wartime experience. In this way, he finally outlived the once young Patriarch. He continued in his service of the new Patriarch, but as he drifted further and further from Kzin, he began to exercise more and more autonomy. This was not uncommon for Kzin commanders who had to prepared to make on the spur decisions given the slowness of interstellar communications across the thirty light-year wide empire.. Upon hearing rumor of human contact while stationed at W'kkai, Chuut-Riit played a hunch, and set out towards the Alpha Centauri system, from whence the rumors sprung. He spent the next decades hibernating in spaceflight, with brief periods of activity at stops along the way. Four years into his journey he stopped at Ch'Aaki to resupply and commandeer ships. Here he learned more about the human-Kzin conflict, and later, at Fang, he learned the whole truth about the First and Second invasion fleets. This bad news steeled his resolve and he focused anew on his task: to construct the invasion fleet that would finally succeed in defeating the human monkeys and conquer the Sol System for good. The Third Invasion Fleet By the year 2392 CE, roughly twenty-five years after the Angel's Pencil incident he had attained the rank of High Conquest Commander of the Kzin Admiralty, and had attained a reputation as a fierce and loyal Hero of the Patriarchy. He arrived on Hssin in 2396 CE with a small armada that would be the nucleus of the future Third Fleet. His plan was to conscript all available ships, Heroes, Jotoki slaves, and resources that he could in order to assemble a fearsome fleet before proceeding on to Wunderland, which would serve as the ultimate staging ground for the invasion of Sol. Governor of Wunderland As Commander of the Third Fleet coming to invade the Sol System he was in direct command of all Kzin on the Wunderland system and its adjacent colonies. Chuut-riit was a genius and master tactician who saw early-on the folly of the Kzin's "scream then leap" strategy. He made the study of human behavior a lifelong endeavor and encouraged his subordinates, including Traat-Admiral, to do the same. Over time he adapted his strategies and even his lifestyle in response to his ever growing understanding of his human enemies. He even went as far as entrusting some of his human slaves such as Henrietta with great responsibilities and freedom. These actions caused some of the Kzin under his command, to question his loyalties and even his liver, but in general Chuut-riit maintained a high level of respect, even among his enemies.Music Box - Hal Colebatch (Man-Kzin Wars X: The Wunder War) Death The UN had learned of Chuut-Riit's prowess and endeavored to have him killed before his invasion plans could be finalized. This task was finally accomplished in 2419 C.E when Chuut-Riit was slaughtered and eaten by his own children. As a result of sabotage conducted by ARM agents they had been locked away in their room in his fortress for days without any food or outside contact and had been mostly driven mad by the ordeal. Chuut-Riit's assassination set the stage for the U.N. led Liberation of Wunderland. Prior to the implementation of the faster-than-light drive this was the single most pivotal event in determining the outcome of the Man-Kzin War, as the human's resources had been badly depleted leaving them with very weakend defenses back in the Sol System.Jerry Pournelle & S.M Stirling - The Children's Hour (Man-Kzin Wars II) Personality Chuut-Riit was a formidable tactician and something of a philosopher. His deep thinking personality was rare among the Kzin, and even more so among the upper ranks of the Navy, yet Chuut-Riit demonstrated time and again throughout his life, a willingness to challenge social mores and traditions. Although he pre-dated the rise of the Kdaptist cult, he was one of the first Kzin to admit the military prowess of the human monkeys, as well as the shortcomings of the Kzin's own way of fighting. Among the Kzin military leaders he had no rival as far as brainpower or tactical prowess. His willingness to incorporate unorthodox tactics, including studying ancient Jotoki military tactics and even going as far as to emulate some human behavior brought him scorn from his rivals, but enabled him to outwit all of his adversaries. Most confrontations that Chuut-Riit had with fellow Kzin were quickly resolved by the use of his superior wits and logic. When he was unable to use reason to defeat his foe, it was said that the stench alone of his anger was enough to cow even the strongest of challengers, although he carried not a few trophy ears on his belt. Legacy Chuut- Descendents While centuries of victory and breeding had caused an archetype Kzin to develop, Chuut-Riit proved to be an anomaly in many ways. It is unknown who his mother was, but his children and grandchildren displayed unusual traits, including his granddaughter Marthar-Riit, who a Kzinrett that was capable of speech and higher learning. It is possible that Chuut-Riit was the son of an intelligent Kzinrett, or may have mated with one to produce offspring, or both. If his mother was intelligent it may help to explain some of the unusual characteristics that defined him. Unlike most of his siblings, Chuut-Riit's son Vaemar survived both the death of his father and the later Liberation of Wunderland. He went on to sire several offspring who had children of their own. * Vaemar-Riit - Son of Chuut-Riit * Orlando-Riit - Son of Vaemar and grandson of Chuut-Riit * Orion-Riit - Son of Vaemar and grandson of Chuut-Riit. Father of Marthar. * Marthar-Riit - Daughter of Orion and great-granddaughter of Chuut-Riit. Sentient Kzinrett.Hal Colebatch & Jessica Q Fox - Treasure Planet (novel) References Category:Known Space characters Category:Kzin